When it comes to making NFL comparisons, we're addicted to discussing quarterbacks taken in the same draft class.

We still talk about the three Hall of Famers—John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly—from 1983. We weigh the pair of two-time Super Bowl winners—Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger—from 2004. We figure it can't get any worse than the two huge busts—JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn—from 2007.

Matt Ryan may have been the No. 1 overall pick in 2008, but Joe Flacco (No. 18 overall in '08) has the one and only Super Bowl win between them. (AP Photo)

Luckily, the 2008 draft provided quite a first-round rebound with Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. The quarterbacks were enjoying similar successful paths, running neck-and-neck over five seasons. That is until Flacco just took a sizable lead.

Ryan has the two Pro Bowl nods, the two 4,000-yard seasons, and is coming off a career-best 32-TD season. He has more regular-season victories (56 to 54) and the higher passer rating (90.9 to 86.3).

But Flacco, he of no Pro Bowls, just got his ninth playoff victory in the Super Bowl by leading the Ravens over the 49ers. Those were the same 49ers the Falcons couldn't finish off in the NFC championship game.

Ryan is 1-4 overall in the playoffs and has thrown seven interceptions in those five games. Even when the Falcons survived the divisional round, he was picked off twice to open the door for a big comeback from Russell Wilson's Seahawks.

Meanwhile, Flacco, in going 4-0 in just this year's playoffs, threw for 11 TDs and no interceptions, beating Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady before getting to the Super Bowl.

At the moment, it seems Flacco has left the window wide open for the Ravens to add more championships, while it appears it has closed a little more on Ryan getting one for the Falcons.

As if there wasn't enough scrutiny for Ryan before this year's playoffs, which resulted in his elusive first playoff win, Flacco's separation move didn't do favors of changing that perception.

Reality is Flacco had a head start on Ryan, and Ryan is on a pace to catch him.

Flacco came into a team with an established top defense, and since his rookie season, has been able to play off a balanced offense where running back Ray Rice has been the bigger star. He's had steady and even strong offensive line play along the way.

Ryan did come in the same time with a featured workhorse back, Michael Turner. But Turner wasn't the same immediate safety valve in the passing game that Rice was for Flacco, and has slowed down since as an older back. The only place where Ryan and Flacco have been even is the fact they both had to wait for an upgraded wide receiver and tight end corps to further assist them.

Flacco was put in good position for his Super Bowl breakthrough from the beginning with his supporting cast. The Falcons started their quick rebuilding with Ryan as their centerpiece, and have been putting the pieces around him on both sides of the ball.

Flacco said after winning the Super Bowl that he's been pretty much the same guy since he came into the league. The numbers support that; he has been consistent while starting every game. Over the past four seasons, his passing yardage low is 3,613 and the high is 3,817 in 2012. He has TD totals of 21, 25, 20 and 22. His interceptions have been 12, 10, 12 and 10.

Ryan, however, has had a more upward trajectory, and has assumed an increased burden in the Falcons' offense. He's gone from 434 pass attempts as a rookie to 615 this past season while thriving in Dirk Koetter's high volume, up-tempo attack. That didn't stop Ryan from posting a league-best 68.6 completion percentage. His 4,719 yards and 32 TDs weren't far off the pace of the NFC's elite pair of Super Bowl winners, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.

Ryan got a tough break in his first three playoff games, facing off against Kurt Warner, Rodgers and Eli Manning. But as we just saw with Flacco, you have to beat some of the best to be included among the best.

We've seen the best of Flacco, but everything points to Ryan getting better. In a second season with Koetter and a third with Julio Jones, there should be more big plays in store. You can expect Falcons officials to upgrade the running game and defense.

As incoming quarterbacks such as Luck, Wilson, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick keep raising the bar at the position, we can be quick to write off the good, still-young ones who have yet to be great.